Automatic fire window structure



March 18, 1958 H. c. KNEBEL AUTOMATIC FIRE WINDOW STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed 0G12. 6, 1954 f, BY QM-471ml,

March 18, 1958 H. c. KNEBEL 2,327,140

' AUTOMATIC FIRE WINDOW STRUCTURE:

Filed Oct. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a i /5\ N64/f@ i I @L l INVENTOR. H ERMAN C. KNEBEL UnitedStates Patent j() 2,827,140 AUTOMATIC FIRE WINDOW STRUCTURE Herman C. Knebel, Westbury, N. Y., assignor to S. H.

Pomeroy Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 5, 1954, Serial No. 460,537

7 Claims. (Cl. 189-74) The invention relates generally to window closures for structures, and more particularly to a window closure provided with means for automatically closing the window in the event of fire.

In the present invention, the upper sash of the wind-ow is provided with spring means of suicient strength to overcome the weight of the sash and to raise it to closed position. The closing effect of the spring means, however, is overcome by a counterbalancing spring means, so that the upper sash can be adjusted to the desired open or closed position. The connection between the upper sash and the counterbalancing spring means is established by a fused connection, which loses its rigidity when subjected to excessive heat, thereby permitting the aforesaid spring means to raise the sash to closed position.

The lower sash of the window is connected to counterbalancing spring means by a fused coupling which also loses its rigidity when subjected to excessive heat. The counterbalancing spring means counteracts the effect of gravityVso that the lower sash may be adjusted to any desired position, however, when the fused coupling is sheared, due toV excessive heat, the weight of the sash causes it to fall to closed position.

Y For a complete understanding of the invention, referencemay behad to the detailed description which follows and to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. l and 2 are illustrative views of the window closure of the present invention, Fig. 1 showing the upper and lower sashes in open position with the fused connections intact, and Fig. 2 showing the closing action of the sashes with the fused connections severed;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the upper sash and showing the fused connection intact;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the View in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged front view of the fused coupling associated with the lower sash; and

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the fused coupling shown in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, upper and lower window sashes 1i), 11, respectively, are mounted for upward and downward movement within an opening in a structure F, and the sashes are guided in their-move ment by vertical jambs J, not shown in Figs.. l and 2 for purposes of clarity, but generally indicated in Fig. 5.

The base `of the upper sash 1i) is provided with a pair of outwardly projecting brackets 12, and the lowerends of tension springs 13 are attached to the brackets 12, while the upper ends thereof are anchored to the upper portion of the frame structure F. The pressure of the springs 13 is strong enough to overcome the weight of the upper sash and to raise it to closed position.

The eiect of the springs 13, however, is counterbalanced by tension springs 14 connected at their lower ends to the lower frame structure F and at their upper ends to an assembly generally designated by the reference symbol 15, to be described in greater detail below. Thus, the counterbalancing springs 14 make it possible to adjust the upper sash to the position desired.

2,827,140 Patented Mar. 18, 1958 lCC A pair of tension springs 1,6, anchored to the upper frame structure F, are connected to the lower sash 11 by fused couplings, generally designated lby the reference symbol 17, and the springs 16 serve to counterbalance the weight of the lower sash so that it may be adjusted to a desired raised or lowered position.

As mentioned above, the connection between the upper sash 10 and the counterbalancing springs 14 is established by means of the fusible assembly 15 which comprises a pairof oppositely disposed rods 20, slidably mounted t0 the sash, a fusible connection 21 therebetween, maintaining the rods 20 in extended positions whereby the ends of the rods engage openings formed in sleeves 22 carried at the ends of the counterbalancing springs 14, and a tension spring 23 attached at each end to a hook-like formation 25 formed on each of the rods 20. The vertical sides of the sash 10 are provided with guides 24 for receiving the tongue ends 22 of the springs 14. The fusible link 21 comprises a pair of overlapping members connected together by a fusible metal which softens at high temperatures, permitting the overlapping members to separate.

Thus, the upper sash is -connected to the counterbalancing springs 14 by the engagement of the ends of the slidable rods with the tongues 22 of the springs, but when lire breaks out in proximity to the window the separation of the fusible connection 21 permits the spring 23 to draw the slidable rods toward each other and out of engagement with the tongues 22. As a result, the counterbalancing effect -on the sash 1) is eliminated, and the springs 13 are free to raise the sash 10 to closed position.

The fused couplings 17 which connect the lower sash 11 to the tongue ends 27 of the springs 16 are best shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The couplings 17 each comprise a bracket 30 adapted to be aiixed to the sleeve 27, a bracket 31 attachable to the sash 11, a connecting link 33 therebetween, and a fusible bead 32 accommodated in socket holes Y34, 35 of the link 33 and bracket 31, respectively. The bracket 30 is curled, as at 30a, to receive the tongue ends 27 of the springs 16, and the bracket 30 is connected to the link 33 by the screw or bolt 36, shown in Fig. 5, while the bracket 31 is attached to the sash by screws 37.

The portions of the link 33 and the bracket 31 formed with the socket holes 34, 35 are disposed parallel to each I other, and the fusible metal of which the bead is formed normally withstands the shearing action of the parallel surfaces. However, when fire breaks out, the heat will soften the metal and sever the coupling in the manner shown in Fig. 2, permitting the weight of the lower sash to cause it to fall to closed position.

After the tire, the parts 31, 33 may be removed and replaced with a new fused assembly. The part 30, however, need not be replaced.

The invention has been shown and described as a single, preferred form and by way of example, and obviously many modications and variations may Vbe made therein within the spirit of the invention. The invention is not to be limited to any specified form or embodiment, therefore, except insofar as such limitations are set forth in the claims.

I claim:

l. A self-closing window structure comprising a movable upper sash, a movable lower sash, guiding means for each, means for counterbalancing the weight of the lower sash to permit its adjustment to a desired position, spring means for urging the upper sash to raised position, means for counterbalancing the effect of said spring means to permit the upper sash to be adjusted to a desired position, a movable member in one position establishing an operative connection between the upper sash and said counterbalancing connection of said member from said counterbalancing means, fusiblemeans maintaining said movable member in position to .establish the operative connection between the `upper sash and its counterbalancing means, fusible means'establishing an operative connection between Vthe lower sash and its counterbalancingV means, both of said means, means urging the disconnected to the lower sash and the `other connected to raised and lowered, force applying means connected toV Vthe, sash'to raise the sash to closed position, counterbalancingrfo'rce applying means on both sides of the sash to counterbalance the closing'effect of therforce applying means connected to the sash, a pair of relatively mov- Y able'elongatedmembers carried by thesash, in extended position engaging the counterbalancing means and connecting the sash thereto, a fused connection between the elongated members to maint-ain them in engagement with the counterbalancing force applying means until subjected to excessive heat, and resilient means for normally urging the elongated members in opposite directions to disconnect the elongated members from the counterbalancing force applying means when the fusednconnection is severed.

,4.i A self-closing'window structure comprisingk a movable sash, means for guiding the sash to permit it to be raised or lowered, resilient means for counterbalancing the weight of the sash to permit the sash to be adjusted to a desired position, and a fused coupling connecting the sash to the counterbalancing means, said coupling comprising `a first member connected to the counterbalancing means, second member connected to the sash, said rst and second members being `formed with parallel surfaces, having oppositely disposed socket means therein, and fusible means received between said parallel surfaces within said socket means Vand connecting the members together, said fusible, means softening-when subjected to heat and permitting shearing action between the, members, the eect of gravity causing the sash to fall to closed Y' position. f ,n

5. A self-closing window structure as set forth in claim 4 wherein said rst-and second members are `detachably mounted to facilitate replacement when severed.

6. A self-closingwindow structure as set forth in claim 4 including a flat surface projecting from Said counterbalancing means to which the aforesaid first member is Ydetachably connected.

7. A self-closing window structure comprising a movable sash, means for guiding, the sash to permitit to be raised or lowered, resilient means for counterbalancingV the weight of the sash to permit they sash to be adjusted to a desired position, anda fused coupling `,connecting the sash and the counterbalancing means, said fused coupling comprising means carried by the resilient counterbalancing means and having .a Vsurface formed thereon, means carried by the sash and Vhaving a surface formed thereon, socket'means formed in both of said surfaces, and-fusible means received between 'saidsurfaces and within said socket means to connect the sash to the resilient counterbalancing means, said fusible means softening when subjected to heat to disconnect the members, whereby the sash is permitted to drop to closed position.

` References Cited in the tile of this pat/ent .UNITED STATES PATENTS 

